


Mirror Image

by Aros_Sage



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt Alec, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Lightwood Siblings, M/M, Missing, Protective Isabelle Lightwood, Protective Jace Wayland, Protective Magnus Bane, Protective!Jace, Protective!Magnus, hurt!Alec, kidnap, protective!Isabelle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-24 14:23:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12014622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aros_Sage/pseuds/Aros_Sage
Summary: Why is Alec acting strange? Something seems...off, about him.ORI dreamt this last night and wanted to put it out here!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So since I updated a chapter in my current story before going to bed last night, I had a random Shadowhunter-esque dream! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to recall everything but I still thought it was a fun little one shot and I wanted to put it out here! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“You really want to watch the Golden Girls with me?” Izzy asked, a smirk growing on her face as she put her whip away in the weapon’s room. Her, Alec and Jace had just gotten back from a mission with a bunch of shax demons running around One World Center. It was late so luckily the area wasn’t too populated. For anyone that was around, they couldn’t see them. 

“Yeah…is that a problem?” Alec asked, removing his quiver off of his shoulder, placing it on a rack beside his bow. 

“You’ve never…ever wanted to watch it before…but…I won’t ask. Jace, you…”

“Nope! Not at all! Going to see Clary.” And Jace was already out the door. 

“My room in 20. You need to shower. You stink. I’m sure Magnus would appreciate you telling him you’re alive.” Izzy said to him, clapping Alec on his shoulder before leaving the room. 

Alec smirked, feeling around his pockets for his phone. He pressed for the screen to turn on but it began vibrating, ‘Magnus’ flashing on the screen.

“Magnus…Hey! I was just about to call you.” Alec said, turning out of the weapons room and heading towards the bedrooms. 

“I’d hope so. Where have you been? I’ve been worried.” Magnus’s voice said through the phone, relief and irritation obvious in his tone.

“I’m sorry…we had a mission and it took longer than we thought. That’s all.” Alec frowned, turning down a hall. 

There was a pause and then a sigh. “I sometimes hate that you’re a Shadowhunter. Will I see you tonight?” 

“I’d love to come over but I promised Iz I’d watch some television with her.” 

“Oh, alright. Tomorrow then.” Magnus decided.

“Sounds good. See you tomorrow.” Alec agreed, ending the phone call. He opened a door, nearly walking into Raj. They both stood looking at one another, mostly startled than anything else.

“Do you need something?” Raj asked, raising a brow.

“Oh no…sorry…I wasn’t paying attention.” Alec mumbled, turning and walking down the corridor further. Raj watched Alec walk down the hallway for another beat before shrugging and leaving his room. 

0000

Several hours later, Alec and Izzy sat on her bed, leaning against the headboard, shoulder to shoulder, laughing as they watched the end of another glorious episode. 

“They fall in love so fast. It doesn’t make any sense.” Alec complained, reaching into their popcorn bowl, groaning when he realized it was empty. 

“It’s not supposed to make sense. Anyways, what if you were older and single? Wouldn’t you jump at the chance of finding love one last time?” Izzy asked, letting another episode play but not paying as much attention to it. She moved closer to Alec, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“It’s not often that we get old.” Alec answered nonchalantly. 

“You shouldn’t think like that. We’re strong. We’re not going to die young.” Izzy countered. “Besides…when you do get super old, you’ll still have Magnus anyways.”

Alec smiled. “Yeah…Magnus.” 

It wasn’t much longer until Izzy completely dozed off. Moving carefully, Alec managed to move her into a laying position, tucking her in. He smiled, moving some of her hair off of her face and shoulder. He leaned down, kissing her on her cheek. 

“Goodnight Beautiful.” He whispered. 

Alec walked over towards her closet, glancing at his reflection. He looked tired, dark circles under his eyes. He pressed his fingers below his eyes. Smiling, he turned off the light and left the room, closing it softly. 

0000

Alec groaned softly, his head throbbing. He felt like he’d taken a brick to the skull. Repeatedly. He rolled his head to the side but made no effort to even attempt lifting. His entire body felt like lead. He felt so heavy. 

Blinking his eyes open, he furrowed his brow when he couldn’t see anything. At first he panicked, fear taking hold that maybe he’d been injured during the mission and was now blind. The instinctual worry of blindness quickly went away when he felt the soft cloth against his face. 

Panic resurfaced as Alec attempted to move, the tight binding around his wrists suddenly making an appearance in his consciousness. He was lying on his side, able to feel the stiffness in the shoulder that was taking most of his weight. He tried to move into a sitting position but frowned. He could feel something around his ankles and when he pulled his arms, his legs were pulled back in an uncomfortable position. Something, most likely additional binding, was keeping his wrists attached to his ankles. 

Mentally, he did his best to suss out any damage. Besides a headache and his limbs feeling weakened…he didn’t think he had any injuries. 

Alec laid there, pondering how to get himself out of this predicament when a hand suddenly moved into his hair, causing him to freeze.

“I wondered when you’d wake up.” Alec forced himself to remain calm. He knew being angry wouldn’t solve this. 

“What do you want?” He asked, his voice dry and scratchy. He felt the fingers threading through his hair, almost as if they were petting an animal. The fingers in his hair moved and Alec could tell that the person had stepped away.

Unfortunately, they came back too soon, pressing something against Alec’s lips. “Drink…the drug in your system has made you dehydrated.” Alec pressed his lips together, shaking his head away from whatever it was. The man sighed, grabbing his chin and forcing his head still, pressing the glass bottle, it had to be, harder against his mouth, knocking into his teeth. “If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have brought you here, just to have you wake up so I could then poison you.” He scoffed, the voice familiar but with Alec’s somewhat sluggish brain, he couldn’t place it yet. The fingers on his chin tightened and he caved, parting his lips just enough. He felt the cool liquid fill his mouth, swallowing a little bit of water before choking, the angle making it difficult plus his hesitation. The man let him go, allowing Alec to turn a little, coughing. 

When he was settled, Alec felt whatever he was on dip down near his head. Growling under his breath, he felt a hand in his hair again, playing with it. 

“What do you want?” Alec asked again, his voice a little stronger this time. 

“I’ve been watching you for a while, Alexander Gideon Lightwood. You have a fantastic life going for you.” Alec tried to scoot his body away from the man’s touch but when he started to, the fingers tightened in his hair. 

“So you decided to keep me from it?” 

“Oh quite the contrary. I’m going to take it for myself.” He laughed, as if that was the most obvious answer. 

“What…how…” Alec hated whenever he got flustered that his ability to speak failed him.

The man next to him lifted up, getting off, Alec assumed either a bed or a couch, but he could feel him close. His hands were behind his head, fiddling with the knot in the cloth that was literally keeping him in the dark. Alec closed his eyes as it was removed, blinking a few times from the invasion of life. 

Alec gasped, startled at the person in front of him. 

Looking down at him...was himself. 

“Demon...” Alec spat, pulling at his restraints. 

His…for lack of a better term, doppelganger smirked, shaking his head. Alec looked at him hard, looking for any type of flaw in his appearance. Everything was identical to him, even his scar in his eyebrow.

“Not a demon, no. I’m what you call a Changeling.” He turned away from Alec, looking into a large mirror. 

It was unnerving, watching an exact copy of himself standing there. The fake Alec, tussled his hair with his hand. “How do you wear it? It used to me messier but lately, you’ve styled it a little more. I can only surmise it’s because of that…half-demon you’re in love with.” Alec felt his face burn at the mention of Magnus. 

“I thought Changelings were fey children who swapped with human counterparts? Something that is illegal. Even The Seelie Queen is against it.” Alec said, pointedly ignoring his question about his hair.

“There are many forms. Clearly, we’re disguised well enough for our kind to remain hidden.” 

Alec moved a little, his shoulder beginning to ache from being on it for so long. How long?

“And you can’t kill the one you’re pretending to be?”Alec asked, looking around, trying to see if there was anything that could help him. 

His copy nodded with a dramatic sigh. “Unfortunately, you’re right. If you die, this skin will disintegrate.” He grinned, looking at Alec through the mirror. “We wouldn’t want that.” 

“You’re not going to get away with this. My friends will realize something’s wrong.” Alec couldn’t allow himself to believe they would fall for it. Eventually, this…fairy would slip up. 

“We’ll see about that…won’t we? Don’t worry…I’m not going to let you starve. I’ll be back to feed you and let you use the bathroom. Humans…you’re easy to take care of…just like a pet.” He turned around, walking back over to Alec. Alec pressed into the couch he was on as much as he could, angry that there was nothing he could do. 

“I’ll only punish you if you disobey me…or piss on my new couch.” He grinned, taking the cloth that was around Alec’s eyes earlier and forcing it around his head again, only this time preventing him from speaking. 

Alec watched angrily as he stepped through his mirror. He squinted, moving closer, realizing the fairy was standing in his room at The Institute. 

Immediately he began to fight his bindings. He couldn’t let him run around…pretending to be him. He wasn’t even sure when this had happened? 

After trying and failing for several minutes to untie himself, Alec flopped down on the couch awkwardly on his arms. He had left the loft early this morning. He took the same route he always had, stopping into the coffee shop around the corner. The barista, Kayla, knew him by now, his drink already ready. Lately, she had also thrown in a bagel. Magnus teased him that she probably had a crush on him. 

His brows knitted together as his memory started to get fuzzy. He was still a few blocks away from The Institute when he felt lightheaded. He was crossing through the park and sat down at a bench to let the dizziness pass. He dropped his coffee. 

And then darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part Two! Again, sorry this isn’t more flushed out. If I had more time and wasn’t in the middle of writing something longer, I’d give this more time to make it a full story.

Alec wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he’d been on the floor. He’d fallen off of the couch he was laying on in an attempt to get his knife out of his boot. Luckily, once he’d fallen and couldn’t chance falling again, it was easier for him to wiggle around to reach his boot. 

Getting the knife felt like the easy part as he slowly, agonizingly so, began to saw at the bindings holding his wrists together. His legs were cramping from being pulled behind him but he ignored it. He had to get himself loose. 

“Come on…” Alec thought to himself, twisting his raw wrist to continue sawing where he’d been making the most progress. Feeling the blade slip into the dent he’d created, he began sawing once more with fervor. 

Feeling some of the tension leave his arms, he realized he’d cut through. He pulled his wrists apart, feeling the broken thread loosening the rest around his wrists. His legs sprung straight, eliciting a relieved sound coming out of Alec. His knees had locked up hours ago yet he was trapped in a single position. 

He brought his arms in front of him, removing the remaining rope off of him. He massaged his arms and wrists for a few minutes, moving so he could lay flat on his back. His shoulders were burning and he could feel prickling through his arms from where they’d fallen asleep. 

Reaching up, he pulled the cloth that was tied around his mouth down to his neck, inhaling a deeper breath. 

Finally sitting up, Alec reached down, cutting the ties around his ankles, freeing himself completely. He stood up, stretching his aching body. 

The room he was in looked like a simple apartment. He had been in the living room and behind the couch was a kitchen. He walked towards a doorway, which led him to a bedroom with a closet and a bathroom. Frowning, he came back into the main room, eyes searching over the walls. There was no door. Alec walked along the walls, looking for anything that might reveal a true door to him. Maybe it was hidden, in the event that he’d manage to free himself? 

Coming back towards the living room, Alec approached the mirror he’d seen the other go through. Hesitant, Alec reached out carefully, expecting his hand to move through the mirror but instead, it pressed against the glass. He only had a moment to frown at his own reflection before the image in the mirror blurred. Instead, he was now looking into the mirror in Magnus’s loft. Alec could tell by the angle that it was the mirror that sat on a table near the windows. It was the one he found Magnus at more often than not when he wanted to do his makeup. Alec thought it was strange, considering Magnus had a large vanity in his room. His heart hurt, the thought occurring to him that he’d never actually asked Magnus why he used it instead. 

His eyes narrowed, anger flashing through him as he saw the changeling stepping into the view of the mirror. 

0000

“Are you sure everything is okay? You hardly ate your dinner.” Magnus complained as they walked into the loft after meeting for dinner. 

The fake Alec turned around, nodding. “I’m okay…it was just a long day today.” He told him, trying to put on an assuring smile.

Magnus walked closer to him, reaching up and pushing a few stray strands of Alec’s hair back into place. “Alright.” He conceded. “If things ever get too stressful, you can always talk to me. I don’t mind.” He smiled, leaning up and attempting to kiss Alec on his lips but ended up kissing his cheek instead.

Alec took a few steps back, turning away from Magnus, running his hands through his hair. Magnus looked at him curiously. 

“What is it? Alexander?” Magnus asked, his voice softer as he watched his Shadowhunter in obvious distress.

Alec turned around to face him, eyes full of sorrow. The next words weren’t at all what Magnus expected him to say. 

“I think we should stop seeing each other.” 

Magnus couldn’t form words; he was struck dumb by what he’d said. 

“Come again?” He managed, his face having fallen. 

“You’re a warlock and immortal. I’m part-Angel, I’ll die and you’ll go on loving others. It’s just not going to work.” 

“You can’t be serious. What was all that ‘I can’t live without you’ about?” Magnus could feel his chest tighten, his throat threatening to close up on him.

“At the time, I thought I meant what I said. Ever since, I knew it was a mistake. I should have just let you be. I’m sorry but I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry.” Alec said, walking past Magnus and leaving the loft. 

Magnus stood, stunned, at the turn of events. How could this have happened? Why did Alec suddenly have a change of heart? Magnus walked over towards his bar, grabbing a whisky bottle. The sound of something smashing startled him.

Magnus whirled around, magic sparkling from his hands in defense. He walked carefully into the living room where the sound had come from. No one was there, at least not that he could see. Magnus checked the remaining loft but nothing seemed out of ordinary. He didn’t feel any presence here either. Walking back into the living room, his eye caught a light reflecting from the floor. 

Kneeling down. Magnus discovered his mirror that was on his table, had fallen down and busted into several pieces. 

0000

Alec felt his blood run cold as he watched the imposter with Magnus. He yelled, screamed, pounded on the mirror but nothing seemed to be working. Magnus couldn’t hear him. Unfortunately for him, he could hear everything that was going on. He watched Magnus’s face fall, the heartbreak obvious. 

“NO!” He cried out, angry that he was hurting Magnus like this. They were still working through their problems but things had been looking up. Pulling back, Alec punched the mirror as hard as he could. Hearing a crack and ignoring the pain in his fist, he looked into the mirror again. Looking into the mirror, he only saw his own reflection. 

Hours of being tied up, he’d come to the realization that he could only see into his world if there was a mirror present wherever the changeling went. Any other time, it was just a regular mirror. 

Giving up for the moment, on getting out, Alec sat on the floor cross-legged in front of the mirror. He was sure he’d heard a crack but the mirror looked fine. His knuckles were bruising but it didn’t look like he’d caused any damage. 

He stared at his reflection for so long that he’d nearly startled when an image came into view. It was Izzy’s room in the institute again. 

0000

“Big Bro? What’s wrong?” Izzy asked, seeing pain in her brother’s eyes after he knocked on her door. She moved aside to let him in.

“Magnus…” Alec said quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. 

Izzy moved in, sitting next to him. “What happened? Is he okay?” 

“We’re…over…” Alec whispered, tears falling down his face. Izzy gasped, moving and wrapping her arms around her brother. Alec welcomed the comfort, burying his face in her neck and shoulder. 

Izzy ran her hands through his hair, the other arm remaining tightly wrapped around him. 

“Are you sure it wasn’t just a fight? A misunderstanding?” Alec was new to relationships after all, and sometimes took things too literal. Maybe they just had a little fight. 

Alec was quiet for a few minutes, sniffling into Isabelle’s embrace. “It’s really over. He said I’m nothing but a mortal…he can’t handle it.” 

Izzy frowned, keeping her arm around him as he longed for her comfort. She had lost track of how long they’d sat there together before Alec started to lift up, his eyes drooping from sadness and exhaustion. 

“Can I sleep in here tonight?” He asked, looking somehow smaller than he was. 

Nodding, Izzy got up so they could move the blankets on her bed. “Of course.” 

Alec removed his shoes, slipping into the bed. He laid on his side, watching as Izzy joined him, laying on her side to look at him. He yawned, snuggling into the pillow. Izzy reached over, moving some of his hair out of his face. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.” She told him, turning over and turning the light off.

They laid there in comfortable silence, Izzy already playing the scenarios in her heard for when she would see Magnus the following day. There was nothing like the wrath of a sibling. 

Alec yawned, it becoming obvious he was falling asleep. “Sometimes a guy just needs his big sis.” He mumbled to her. 

Izzy froze for a minute, wondering if she had heard him right. She smiled though, in the dark. He was tired and broken hearted…he probably didn’t even realize what he’d said, even if something about it just felt off.

0000

“Isabelle…what do you want?” Magnus asked, his voice tired. Izzy was shocked at his appearance if she were perfectly honest. He was disheveled and void of makeup or hair product. He smelled like alcohol, even if it was before noon. 

“How could you hurt Alec like that? You knew dating him that he was mortal but it seemed fine at first.” She shot, glaring daggers at him.

“What are you talking about?” Magnus asked, wincing at her loud tone. 

“You broke up with him yesterday! Were you drunk? Is that why you’re having trouble remembering?” She asked angrily, her fist clenching at her side.

“Alexander broke up with me. Same reason but it wasn’t me who did it.” Magnus explained to her, wrapping his arms around himself. He had drank himself until he passed out, only waking up to a very determined Lightwood pounding on his door. 

“He came to me last night in tears. He claimed that you broke his heart.” She accused though the anger was starting to go away. 

“Isabelle…I love him. I made a mistake, thinking I had to choose between him and the Downworld. We were back on track…happier than we’ve been in a while. I want nothing more than to spend as much time together as possible.” He felt the heat behind his eyes but ignored it. He wasn’t going to cry in front of her.

Izzy collapsed onto his sofa. “Then why would he lie? He’s been a little…clingy lately, but nothing else seems too off.” 

“Maybe we should talk to him, together.” Magnus frowned at the suggestion. 

“I’m not sure that would be the best way to go about this. I doubt seeing me would help matters.” 

“Something just feels…different about him. It started a couple days ago after a mission. We were all separated for a little while. Maybe something happened to him…spelled or something?” Izzy drummed her manicured fingers on the soft couch.

“You really think something is really wrong?” Magnus asked, his voice hopeful.

“I’m surprised you don’t. Get cleaned up…let’s go see him.”

0000

Alec and Jace were sparring in the training room, Jace kicking Alec’s ass much quicker than usual. 

“Why are you holding back? It’s as if you have no idea what you’re doing.” Jace complained, reaching down and helping Alec back up to his feet. Alec was panting, wiping at his lip that was bleeding from the latest punch. 

“I just don’t feel well, that’s all.” Alec answered him, walking over and taking a drink from his water bottle.

“Whatever you say.” Jace said, grabbing his own water. 

They were about to start back up when a whooshing sound hit their ears, a portal opening up at the entrance of the training room. They watched as Izzy and Magnus came walking through. 

0000

Alec wasn’t sure when he’d fallen asleep on the floor. He was so tired, feeling weak as he remained trapped in…well, he had no idea where he actually was.

He moved back to sit in front of the mirror, anger and frustration taking hold as he stared at his own reflection. He remembered seeing the Changeling in Izzy’s room but once the light was turned off, he couldn’t see anything. When he woke up, wherever the imposter was, there were no mirrors. 

Alec spent time checking the mirror, trying to find any spot that might be weak, to find a way to figure out how to get through it.

He sat up straighter when the mirror changed, showing him the training room at the institute. He could see the entire room, considering the entire back wall was one large mirror. Alec watched as Jace walked into the training room behind the imposter. 

Alec spent most of the time they sparred hitting and pounding at the mirror, trying in vain to do what he’d done at Magnus’s; at least, he assumed he’d done it.

0000

“Iz…Magnus.” Alec said, excited to see her but his voice dropping at seeing the other. Jace looked at them curious.

“Are you psychic?” Jace asked, wondering how they knew exactly where to go. 

“We tried to trace Alec but we couldn’t. I assumed that, if he was here, you’d be training with him.” Izzy said, her entire body tense, Alec swallowing slowly. 

“You couldn’t track him?” Jace asked.

“What did you want? Is everything okay?” Alec asked over Jace.

“Alec…when we got separated on the mission the other day…what happened to you?” 

Alec narrowed his eyes, looking at Izzy. “Besides being blindsided by a ton of demons and covered in ichor? Not much.” 

“Something’s off about you…I think maybe something happened and they just…took your memory.” Izzy offered, her voice going for a more gentle tone this time. 

“I feel fine.”

“Alexander…you broke up with me yesterday but then you told Isabelle that I broke up with you. Why are you lying?” 

Alec sighed, standing up. “Iz…I didn’t want you to be ashamed of me. I keep screwing things up…I didn’t want you to be mad at me.” He turned, looking at Magnus. “I did love you but we both know that this won’t last. It’s better to end it now…to save ourselves from a worse heart break later.” 

“You don’t need to lie to me. I’m your sister.” Izzy said sadly but still on edge. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Magnus frowned, glancing over at Izzy. “Why can’t I track you?” Magnus asked, his voice suspicious. 

Alec paused. “I…I’m not sure.” 

Jace looked at the other two before looking at Alec. “They have a point. Something must have happened to you. Alec, I love you, but you’re fighting as if you’re thirteen. You have no idea what you’re doing.” 

“Everything is fine!” Alec shouted at them, backing away, cursing that the door was on the other side of the room. “Just leave me alone!” He saw the mirror wall behind him, backing towards it. 

“No…and you’re going to tell us what’s going on.” Magnus said, throwing his magic at Alec, pinning him against a column in the training room. Alec gasped, trying to pull away from the column but stuck. 

“Jace…they’re insane.” Alec pleaded, looking over at the blond. Jace looked torn, completely unsure as to what was going on. 

“Alec…I should be able to feel your stress right now…but I can’t. Let’s just…get whatever spell is on you off and then everything will be okay.” Jace pulled out his stele, walking over towards his parabatai who’s eyes grew. 

“Jace…I’m fine, seriously…don’t..arggh.” He hissed when Jace drew an iratze on his arm. They watched curiously as the iratze simply faded away. 

“A spell that’s preventing me from drawing runes on him. This might be worse than we thought.” Jace complained, stepping away from him.

Magnus came closer, waiving his arm, an orange hue of magic going over Alec’s body. His eyes grew and then slanted, his glamour dropping almost instantly. Alec cried out as the magic moved over him. 

“Magnus, you’re hurting him!” Izzy said, grabbing onto Magnus’s arm. 

“It’s not Alec. I don’t detect angel blood.” 

Jace and Izzy gasped, looking at Alec. 

Alec looked at them helplessly as he watched any doubt leave their eyes. He sighed, rolling his eyes. 

Jace moved over to him again, grabbing him by the front of his shirt. “Where’s my brother?” He asked angrily.

“The warlock pet makes one assumption and that’s all it takes? So eager to jump on whatever he says. Pathetic.” 

Magnus’s eyes blazed. “Do you know who I am? Do you know what I could do to you if you don’t cooperate?” Alec gasped, feeling the magic holding him to the column tightening around his body.

“And do you know what will happen to your dear, sweet Alexander if you don’t let me go?” He asked back, the pressure alleviating somewhat. 

“Where is he?” Izzy asked, her whip uncoiling from her wrist. 

“I tell you…you kill me. That’s unfair.” 

0000

Alec watched in awe as his family began to unravel what was going on. It had been only a couple days but luckily the changeling hadn’t done as much research as he’d hoped. Breaking up with Magnus was a huge mistake and, if he wasn’t mistaken…he’d called Izzy his older sister.

He watched the scene unfold, sitting up on his knees, his face all but pressed to the glass. The imposter was against the column. Jace tried an iratze and it wasn’t working. Hopefully they’d be able to force him to end this charade. 

As he sat there, he realized they were at a stalemate. The changeling was the only one who knew where he was. They couldn’t kill him without risking him being trapped here until he died.

“HERE! I’M IN HERE! I’M RIGHT HERE!” Alec screamed, pounding in the glass with more vigor. 

Glancing over, Alec saw his knife discarded on the ground. He couldn’t believe he had left it there. He was lucky the changeling hadn’t come to check on him since he’d released himself. 

Thinking quickly, Alec grabbed the knife. He inhaled slowly then exhaled slowly. He repeated this a few more times. Knowing he was stalling himself, he prayed to the Angel that this wouldn’t be for nothing. 

Alec took his knife and stabbed himself in the stomach.

0000

“You’re not a demon…so what are you?” Magnus asked, this interrogation getting them nowhere. The fake Alec wasn’t giving them any information. 

“It wasn’t about Alec…you know. I wanted to know you. You’re beautiful.” Alec said, his eyes on Isabelle. Her jaw practically hit the floor. 

Marching up to him, she slapped him across the face. “How DARE you!” Her blood boiled, her hand moving back as she slapped him again. 

This time, when his head moved back to facing forward, she gasped. The place on his jaw where her hand had hit looked like if someone was removing makeup. Instead of Alec’s fair skin tone, it was grey and jagged. Gone was the smooth skin. 

He looked at her curiously, unable to see what she was seeing. Alec was just about to comment on it when he groaned, black bubbling out of his mouth.

“What’s happening to him? Did I do that?” Izzy asked, her voice concerned. 

“No…I don’t think so.” Magnus answered. 

Alec cried out again, his face screwing shut. They watched as one of his arms shriveled away, turning into dust. No blood, no bones, just dust. 

“I have…to get back to my realm.” He squeaked, his voice a mixture of Alec’s and something deeper, harder to understand. 

“Tell us where Alec is and you can.” Jace countered.

“The host has to stay alive for me to take its form…something’s wrong with him. If I turn into my true form in your world…I will die.” He gasped, eyes popping open, revealing two bright blue ones instead of the hazel. 

“You’re not doing this.” Magnus.

“If you don’t let me go…he’s going to die.” 

Magnus dropped the magic he had holding him to the column. Alec fell to the ground on his knees, a sound like crunching bone erupting from one of his legs. 

“Then lead the way.” Magnus said, moving to the fake Alec’s side and lifting him up, putting an arm around his waist.

Fake Alec pointed towards the mirrors and Magnus steered him that way.

“We’re coming too.” Izzy said as she and Jace stepped forward. 

“No.” The Fake Alec said, pushing his hand into the mirror, sucking him and Magnus through it. Izzy and Jace ran up to the mirror but hit solid glass. 

0000

Magnus and the Fake Alec stumbled through the mirror, falling over each other due to the slimmer doorway to this realm. 

That was much different than a portal, worse than going into The Seelie Court. His head was spinning and his stomach was cramped.

Fake Alec gasped, struggling to get to his feet, moving away from the room they landed in, going through a doorway towards what looked like a bedroom. Magnus was about to follow him when he heard a choking cough from the other side. 

His eyes grew, seeing his beloved Alexander on the ground, blood pooling around him. He crawled over quickly towards him, seeing the knife still plunged in his stomach.

“Alexander...” Magnus said softly, his hand moving to brush Alec’s bangs off of his forehead. Alec’s eyes were glazed over, his face contorted in pain. “Hey…look at me.” 

Alec’s eyelids felt heavy but he was sure the voice he heard was real. He blinked a few times, Magnus’s face coming into focus. “Magnus…it worked.” He said, pleased with himself but grunting at the sudden wave of pain. 

“Shh…let me fix you up.” Magnus said, his hand carefully moving towards the knife. “I’m afraid this is going to hurt.” He apologized but Alec just gave him a stiff nod. Without warning, Magnus pulled the knife out, eliciting a cry of pain from Alec. “Don’t move…don’t talk…just keep breathing.” 

Magnus moved his hand over Alec’s stomach, searching his body for the extent of the damage, going as deep as he wanted. He found the deepest wounds, carefully, precisely repairing the damage to his muscles and tendons. Luckily he missed any organs and only nicked one artery. Magnus felt the magic moving towards the surface, the skin starting to pull back together. He would have a couple scars, but he would live. 

When he was done healing him, Magnus leaned down, resting his forehead on Alec’s chest. Alec swung a heavy arm over, resting it on his back. 

“Thank you.” Alec whispered, feeling Magnus’s hair tickling his chin. 

Magnus lifted up, leaning over Alec’s face, cupping his cheek with his hand, not caring that a little bit of Alec’s blood was now being smeared onto his face. 

“I’m sorry we didn’t figure this out sooner.” Magnus answered him sadly.

Alec reached up, mimicking the way Magnus ‘s hand was on his own face. “He’s been watching me for a while…it’s okay. He’s a changeling…Magnus.” 

Magnus leaned down, kissing Alec on his lips. “I’ll be right back. Don’t try to move much…I may have healed you but we don’t want to tear anything.” Not to mention how weak he was from blood loss. 

Alec nodded. “Be careful.” Magnus smiled, kissing him again before standing up. Magic blazing in his hands, he walked into the bedroom,

The fake Alec was laying on his bed, a necklace of some kind around his throat as he wheezed in an attempt to breathe. Half of his body was still Alec’s but the other half was turning into whatever he was. 

“Tell me how to get us back to our realm and I’ll make sure you die quickly.” Magnus bargained, ready to attack at any second.

“You can either leave with my permission, or kill me. You won’t get both.” He laughed, his voice still muffled between Alec’s and his real one. 

Magnus practically growled under his breath. “I don’t have time for this. My Alexander needs treatment. I will find you again.” 

“You’re lucky…I value living over letting you rot in here.” He chuckled, thought it was short lived due to a coughing fit. “Bring the mirror and the boy into this room, as you can see, I won’t be moving very far.”

Turning on his heel, Magnus first brought the mirror in and then, carefully, helped Alec walk into the room. 

“Put your hands on the mirror and think of where you want to go.” He instructed them. 

“Let’s go back to the training room. Your siblings are worried.” Alec nodded, leaning heavily onto Magnus. 

The changeling reached over, his fingertips pressing into the mirror. Suddenly, their fingers moved into it, like water. 

0000

“Dammit! What if they’re dead?!” Jace cried, doing all he could not to break the mirror in front of them. 

“You would feel it, Jace. Calm down! We have to trust Magnus.” Izzy said though she too wanted to break the mirror until the found them. 

They stood, staring at their reflections for a few more minutes before the mirror shimmered. 

“Do you see that?” Izzy asked and Jace’s reflection nodded.

Jace yelped as two bodies suddenly landed on him, knocking all three to the ground. 

Izzy ran over, helping Magnus to his feet as Jace had long limbs of his parabatai sprawled over him.

“Alec?!” Jace asked happily, able to feel their bond pull them together instantly. 

Alec nodded, trying and failing to get off of him. Jace laughed, wrapping his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Alec tried to hug him back but winced instead. 

“Careful…he nearly killed himself to save himself.” Magnus said and, with the help of Izzy, was able to get Alec off of Jace and into a standing position. 

“He needs a blood transfusion and fluids. He looks dehydrated.” Magnus explained and the other two nodded.

0000

Later that night once Alec was good and settled, the siblings and Magnus sat around his bed in the infirmary. 

“Do you remember what happened on the mission? When we were separated?” Izzy asked, her hand not having left its grip on Alec’s right one, her thumb rubbing softly over his knuckles. 

Alec looked over at her curiously, trying to find the correct answer.

“I never went on a mission. I was headed to the Institute Monday morning after staying at Magnus’s. I got my usual at the café and then I started feeling dizzy shortly after. Then I woke up, tied up in his home.” 

Magnus and Jace wore matching scowls on their faces. Jace was near Alec’s head, his hand resting on his shoulder. Magnus sat in a chair next to Jace, his legs stretched onto the bed. 

“This isn’t over…we’ll find him eventually.” Jace grumbled.

“A changeling is a type of fairy…perhaps The Seelie Queen will have some answers.” Magnus thought out loud. 

“Asking her of anything comes with a price. I don’t want you to have to do that.” Alec protested. 

“She may be associated with someone who kidnapped the Head of the New York Institute and the High Warlock of Brooklyn’s boyfriend. I don’t think she wants either of those on her plate.” 

They all smiled at the last part. Izzy and Jace, sensing the longing in the other two’s eyes, said their goodnights and retired for the night, promising to be back in the morning. 

Alec and Magnus looked at each other for a minute, admiring each other. 

“What can I get you? Do you need anything?” Magnus asked, moving closer. 

Alec glanced at his arm, looking at the needle sticking in it. He then looked at his other arm, looking at the bandage where an earlier needle had been for his transfusion. 

“Well…there is one thing I need.” Alec said, Magnus able to tell he was being shy about it.

“Anything and you’ll have it.” 

“I have trouble sleeping anymore without you in bed with me.” He said, the corner of his lips quirking up in a failed attempt at hiding his smile.

“Is that so?” Magnus asked, a grin growing on his own face. He was already standing up, removing his shoes. He snapped his fingers, his clothing changing into silk pajamas. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

Alec laughed, moving over on the small bed to make room for Magnus. It wasn’t quite big enough for the both of them but Alec had no qualms with being squished together.

“Are you sure this won’t hurt you?” Magnus asked as he maneuvered onto the bed, resting his head on Alec’s shoulder, his arm slinging over his chest. Their legs able to tangle together into an easy familiarity. 

“This is the best thing to happen to me all week.” Alec answered him, turning his head and kissing the top of Magnus’s head. 

“I’m glad to have you back…the real you.”

“Me too. I couldn’t take it when he broke up with you. I was infuriated…though, hindsight is 20/20. He helped tip you off that something was wrong.” 

Magnus leaned up so he could look at Alec’s face. “You saw that?” 

Alec nodded. He explained how he guessed the mirrors were able to work between their worlds. 

“Wait…so are you responsible for breaking my mirror?” Magnus asked curiously.

Alec shrugged. “Maybe…I’m not really sure.” 

“That’s impressive.” 

Alec burst out in sudden laughter, unsure why that seemed so funny to him. He shook his head, looking up at Magnus. 

“Get some sleep darling. I’m sure you’re beat.” Magnus said, moving his fingers through Alec’s hair. 

“I love you Magnus.” Alec said to him, not having to be told twice. 

Magnus leaned down, kissing him on his lips gently, letting them linger for a few long seconds before pulling away. 

“I love you too Alexander.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay; life happens. I think this would be interesting if I made it into a more flushed out story but again, it was just a partial dream that I had! Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a one shot but I need to go to bed. There will be a second half hopefully tomorrow! Again, this was a choppy dream I had, so I’m having to fill in the details. 
> 
> Hope you like it!


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